The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-18
GOVERNMENT AND FARM.
SENATOR COLQUITT ADDRESSES
THE CONvEN


an Idol of Government and Losing
Sight of the Fact that the People are
Master-A Permanent Organization
to be Formed.
ATLANTA, Aug 17.-Another large and
appreciative audience congregated in the
Opera House this morning, to be present at
the second days proceedings of the Farmers
Convention. The meeting was opened with
President j. S. Newman in the chair.
After prayer by Rev. Dr. Morrison,
the Convention at once began the days
proceedings. After perfecting some of the
committees the President proceeded to de-
liver his address on 1.-THE exact objects the
farmer should seek to accomplish and the
best means of accomplishing these objects"
He gave practical illustrations showing
how the land had been robbed, and would
now have TO be restored to its original fer
tility by cult gation on some practical plan
An invitation to visit Piedmont Park to-
morrow, and examine the preparations for
the Piedmont Exposition, was accepted with
thanks
sENAToT CoLoUITT's ADDRESS.
The President of the convention then in
troduced Senator Colquitt, who made an
eloquent address on THE government in its
Relation to Agriculture Senator Colquitt
said: 1--WE have had for number of Years
in the recent history of our country class
of politicians which, greatly regret, seems to
be growing in number and influence. These
mon, by singular perversion or confusion of
judgment, have set up, as an idol, the
creature in the place of the creator, gov
ernment they would have us believe
was the soul of power, dispenser of benefits
and grand almoner sharing out its gifts as
well as its teachings of wisdom. This is the
same old fraud of monarch and despot
that for thousands of years, while tapping
the very hearts blood of the people, would
have the people magnify and glorify the
generous deed. With all the assumption
that the imperialist school of politicians
makes for government, in very truth, that
government at last is the most thorough
faced charity-subject that lives
ALL OF THE PEOPLE.
"When we need money we cast a wistful
eye on the Treasury box that you have filled
by your hard work and generous contribu-
tions. When we talk of the power of gov
ernment il is your right arms that support
it. When you refer to the dignity and rank
of that same government in the scale of ma
tionality all men who think can but know
that this is only the reflected light
from the essential and concentrated
virtue of the component parts of
our Union. For all this, il really seems that
we are losing all faith in our own manhood,
and are sliding back INTO state of infantile
wardship and dependence We are
losing our faith in man and natural laws
and accepting rather a society that is but
tressed upon official help and power. For
my part, | am for keeping absolutism shuU
up to the soil and cline where it belongs.
BEECHER INDoRsED.
II am disposed to endorse Beecher, for
once at any rate, when he says that "a pa
ternal government is an Internal govern
ment; put crown on it and il is a czar'
Farmers of the South. remember that while
we fight against poverty and restricted re-
sources for family, there Is an evil greater
even than poverty and there is glory far
exceeding riches and all pomp and power
that can be made out of wealth. The
greater evil is the loss of that
conscience and integrity that is
vital to the peoples fame and true happi-
ness, and the superior glory is that public
virtue is kept impregnable and resplendent
in spite of all seductions"
He then showed the relationship existing
between the government and farmer and
asked if the farmers had had fair play
Why should the man who spins cotton be
part of the government while the man who
raises it should be the governments orphan
or outcast.
A FAIR FIELD AND NO FAVOR
"We have the right to demand fair field
and an even chance at least; we ask no
more. take pride in the independence Of
the farmer. But while the farmer bears
his own burdens we have a right to
denounce all attempts to handicap him by
weights he should not carry. Let the Agri
cultural Department of the general govern
ment begin a system or such thorough and
authoritative experimentation as shall
command the respect of every intelli-
gent and earnest-minded farmer in the land.
If we have men who can conduct this great
work, encourage them by treatment most
liberal. III we, in frankness, might own
that we are not in command of such talent,
then let us have it at any cost
In concluding his remarks Senator Col
quit said: "Tribulations may begin with
the farmer, but they will assuredly reach
all the rest in due time.
NOT PRosPERING ENOUGH.
'The farmer is not prospering in the
South as he deserves to do, or perhaps as he
might Some of this hard fortune results.
in my honest Judgment not, will say, from
neglect of the government, but from down
right imposition. Could you be allowed to
sell where you could get the best prices, and
buy where you could buy the cheapest, your
incomes let them be great or small, would
be enhanced perhaps 3Jh per cent. II the
people who live by the soil In this region,
and who have power 10 control the question
of revenue and taxation, do not care 10
shake of their present burdens, then let us
resort to the aid which each of our State
governments can give us with benefit TO
every business and individual in the land.
Let us, through this instrumeDtality, come
TO the rescue Of our agriculture by exposing
old errors, dscarding mistaken processes,
discovering hidden truths adopting and dis
seminating better methods, and thereby
carrying comfort and plenty into every
farmhouse in the South, and make our sec
tion what nature meant it fOr-tbe paradise
of earth. "
AN ESSAY on "ALL COTTON"
In the afternoon Hon. NJ. n Burke, Of
Mississippi, read an essay on IAN Cotton;
Its Relation TO the Present Condition of
Agriculture.
/. L. Polk, of North Carolina, Chairman
of 'the Committee on Organization, re-
ported in favor OF permanent organization
Of this body, 10 include all the cotton States
T.. 2. Ware, Of North Carolina, intro
duced the following:
RESOLVED, That we now go into an orgaDiza-
ton, and that a COMMITTEES on Organization
draft a constitution and report.
This was adopted, and the committee are
now engaged in the work
Gen Miles of Mississippi, spoke in favor
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